Arts and Humanities Commons^™

Christianity And Bankruptcy, David A. Skeel Jr.

All Faculty Scholarship

Although the term “bankruptcy” is nowhere to be found in the Bible, debt and the consequences of default are a major theme both in the Hebrew Bible and in the New Testament. In Israel, as in the ancient Near East generally, a debtor who defaulted on his obligations was often sold into slavery or servitude. Biblical law moderated the harshness of this system by prohibiting Israelites from charging interest on loans to one another, thus diminishing the risk of default, and by requiring the release of slaves after seven years of service. Jesus alluded to the lending laws at least …

Ephesians And Ecumenism, Toby Eisenberg

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Christian ecumenism has made great strides during the twentieth century but is now widely seen as needing a new path. Avery Dulles has proposed an “exchange of gifts” notion of dialogue in which the participant churches share their understanding of the Christian life and all of the reasons they have for holding their particular doctrines and practices, drawing on whatever normative sources they believe are appropriate. The approach enables the participants to bear testimony in love in the hopes that they may better understand and appreciate each other more fully, thereby opening a path to increased doctrinal consensus and thus …

“Spirited” Engagement: Latin American Faith And The Construction Of Emancipative Pentecostalism, David Luckey

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

Pentecostalism is a prominent form of Christianity around the world that is increasingly pervasive in the Global South. One of the persistent issues that obscures accurate understanding of the movement is the question of whether such a spiritually-oriented faith gives attention to social realities. This dissertation identifies a broad spectrum of Latin America Pentecostal social- ethical engagement in order to complicate stereotypes and reveal a natural orientation toward public witness. It shows that Pentecostalism is too complex for broad generalization, and it draws on leading voices from within the movement to articulate a call to increasing efforts for social justice.

The Unmarried (M)Other: A Study Of Christianity, Capitalism, And Counternarratives Concerning Motherhood And Marriage In The United States And South Africa, Haley Feuerbacher

Religious Studies Theses and Dissertations

A reified and patriarchal form of Christianity that emphasizes “family values” – that is, adherence to the formula of a male-headed, heterosexual, capitalist, nuclear family, characterized by distinct, complementary, and hierarchical gender roles as essential to the well-being of individuals, one’s nation, and the ecumenical Church - over “community values” has become a happy bedfellow of the market system and neocolonialism, extending its reach worldwide through globalization. The result is that single mothers constitute the most economically oppressed demographic internationally across all race and ethnic categories. Using Constructivist Grounded Theory and a postcolonial feminist theological lens to collect, retell, and …

The Unwavering Movement: Integrating Reason Into British Penal Code 1730-1823, Rebecca M. Good

International ResearchScape Journal

Between the early 16^th and 18^th centuries, English attitude towards crime and correction were based on the strong held belief that faith and religion were the only cure to immorality. Lawmakers began to threaten citizens with capital punishment for menial crimes such as petty theft and begging. Resulting of a moral panic, lawmakers turned to the deterrence to dissuade citizens from partaking in criminal activity. The list of crimes punishable by death in England rose from 50 offenses in 1688 to over 220 in 1815. This article explains the origins of the Bloody Code and how Enlightenment-Era thought …

Book Review: Singing The Congregation: How Contemporary Worship Music Forms Evangelical Community, John Macinnis

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"The desire of concert attendees for an authentic spiritual experience maps onto the search for other authentic experiences by consumers today."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­the book Singing the Congregation from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/book-review-singing-the-congregation-how-contemporary-worship-music-forms-evangelical-community/

The Shuar Writing Boom: Cultural Experts And The Creation Of A "Scholarly Tradition", Natalia Buitron, Grégory Deshoulliere

Tipití: Journal of the Society for the Anthropology of Lowland South America

In dialogue with Stephen Hugh-Jones’s work on Tukanoan writing, this article analyzes the boom in patrimonial writing among Chicham (Jivaroan)-speaking Shuar people. Patrimonial writing foregrounds collective identity and understandings of culture as group property common to the Tukanoan speakers of the Upper Rio Negro but foreign to the pre-missionized Shuar. We argue that the Shuar interest in patrimonial writing can be explained through the history of missionization and the recent shift to intercultural exchange within the plurinational project of state-building spearheaded by the indigenous movement. By analyzing the wider context of knowledge production and the forms of knowledge Shuar scholars …

Wanda And Me: The Continuous Rise Of Puerto Rico's Greatest Pyramid Schemer, Natalia Rodriguez Medina

Capstones

Wanda Rolón is Puerto Rico's most prolific pastor. Her megachurch seats more than 4,000 people. She has ties to the government. She owns several radio and TV stations, and has reached millions. Follow the reporter as she visits Rolón's church, and discovers Wanda's modus operandi, and a bit of herself in this longform narrative.

https://medium.com/@nataliarodrguezmedina/wanda-and-me-the-continuous-rise-of-puerto-ricos-greatest-pyramid-schemer-f2d4ab9e8b5c

Loving Thyself And Well-Being: What Does God Have To Do With It?, Derek De La Peña Ph.D.

The Journal of Faith, Education, and Community

The current study is both exploratory and conceptual in nature and considers the controversial topic of “self-love” from both Christian and positive psychology viewpoints. Adaptive and maladaptive concepts of self-love are considered with Christian participants (n = 467) who listed God as the most important factor to happiness (Type I, n = 133) and a second group (Type II, n = 334) who considered some other factor as more important. Statistical significance was evident between groups with Type I participants scoring higher for meaning in life, engagement, and life-satisfaction measures in addition to a number of biblically-based character qualities (e.g. …

None But Not Yet Done: Review Of The Twentysomething Soul, Justin Bailey

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"The desire to be rooted in something deeper and connected to something bigger than self remains."

Posting about the book The Twentysomething Soul from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/none-but-not-yet-done-review-of-the-twentysomething-soul/

Praising God Around The World: Christian Worship Music As An Individual And Collective Experience, Divya Putty

Student Scholar Symposium Abstracts and Posters

The artists “Bethel” and “Hillsong” are frequently recognized by Christians living in America. But what about the names “Bridge Music India” or “Sinach”? These names would be most likely unknown in the states but celebrated in India and Nigeria. While each stems from vastly different cultural backgrounds, they all serve the purpose of creating a space for people to connect with God and each other through musical worship. Drawing on four different pieces of worship music and their use in live services, this article analyzes the effects of worship music, specifically their lyrical and musical content, on the individuals participating …

Advent: A Thrill Of Hope, Howard Schaap

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

"Despite the darkness—of literature, of human nature, of the decline fall into winter—we have God’s promises."

Posting about ­­­­­­­­meaningful Christmas carols from In All Things - an online journal for critical reflection on faith, culture, art, and every ordinary-yet-graced square inch of God’s creation.

https://inallthings.org/advent-a-thrill-of-hope/

Exodus/Bay Shore: How An Idea Became A Reality, Freda Elliott Baker

West Islip (New York) Church of Christ Audio Collection

Freda Eliott Baker recounts the story of the ExodusBayshore church plant.

Pagans, Puritans, And Putting Christ Back In Christmas, Justin Bailey

Faculty Work Comprehensive List

No abstract provided.

Transnational Migration And Ethnic And Religious Renewal Amongst The Ethnic German Minority In Romania, Ovidiu Oltean

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

"The normalization of inter-ethnic relations after the fall of communism and the establishment of a rather inclusive minority regime has opened up new possibilities for the ethnic and religious minorities in Romania. Social, cultural and religious life has seen a pluralization and revival that was not possible during communism. Ethnic minorities developed new forms of cultural and ethnic expression and gained new leveraging instruments in relation to the ethnic Romanian majority. As Romanian society has grown more pluralistic, not only has political and cultural life developed and become more diverse but also religious forms of expression and religious organizations have …

Introduction To “Religions In Shakespeare’S Writings, David V. Urban

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

No abstract provided.

Thirty Years Later: The Pentecostal Church In Romania And Religious Freedom In The Post-Communist Era, Dragoș Ștefănică

Occasional Papers on Religion in Eastern Europe

The aim of the present paper is to provide a brief presentation of the evolution of religious freedom in Romania since the 1989 Revolution from the perspective of a Pentecostal believer. To better understand what this event meant for this denomination, first the situation of the Pentecostal movement in the interwar and communist times will be presented, and then survey the changes brought by the fall of the communist regime and how religious freedom evolved in the past three decades.

De Serpiente A Santo: La Cara Maleable Del Diablo En La Literatura Hispana, Crosby Tinucci

World Languages and Cultures Student Papers and Posters

In biblical literature, the devil serves as an archetype of evil. He appears as a deceptive serpent, a roaring lion and a vanquished dragon. Each one of the great charlatan’s faces serves to add levels of meaning to this complex character. Like biblical authors, Hispanic authors have incorporated this archetype in their own literary works in distinct ways, taking advantage of its complexity and levels of meaning. During the Middle Ages in Spain, Gonzalo de Berceo incorporated the devil as a figure of deception and enmity in Los milagros de Nuestra Señora. Two centuries later, in the Spanish baroque …

Wells' "Walk Humbly: Encouragements For Living, Working, And Being" (Book Review), Robert Lancaster

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Perrin's "The Kingdom Of God: A Biblical Theology For Life" (Book Review), Craig Rosenbeck

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

Mcentyre's "When Poets Pray" (Book Review), Carrie Beth Lowe

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

A Phenomenological Exploration Of Women’S Attitudes Towards Women Mentoring Other Women In The Church, Natasha Amy Pettigrew

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

This qualitative phenomenological study explores the attitudes and views of women towards mentoring other women in the church for discipleship purposes. Although there are many benefits to women entering into a mentoring relationship for discipleship purposes, including spiritual growth, increase in the practice of spiritual disciplines, staying grounded in the Christian faith, and experiencing deeper intimacy with Christ, there is still a significant percentage of women who are not doing so. The researcher surveyed 37 Christian women between the ages of 18 and 65 to explore their attitudes and views towards women mentoring one another in the church for discipleship …

Acts Of The Holy Spirit In Leadership: A Case For Holy Leadership In The Church, Jeffrey James Boone Sr

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of the research is to remove worldly leadership from, Abundant Life Community Christian Church (ALCCC), and to replace it with a biblical leadership model. Biblical leadership is spiritual and holy. Biblical leadership is predicated upon Jesus Christ's leadership example and teachings. The first-century Apostles’ leadership modeled the words and works of Jesus Christ. The problem of secular leadership at ALCCC is the cause of stagnation and declination of the church. Worldly leadership at ALCCC is the root cause of inefficiency, ineffectiveness, in-house fighting, strife, division, rivalry, preeminence, predominance, lack of humility, outreach neglect, evangelism neglect, and unproductivity. The …

The Intersection Of Ministry And Mental Health: Worship Leaders With Depression, Benjamin Bartow Harrison

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Despite the fact the mental health issues are becoming more destigmatized among those in society, pastors and other church staff still face unique challenges when seeking treatment for mental health issues. This study considers the perspectives of ministers who often struggle in silence with depression. This qualitative historical research study will identify the unique challenges faced when battling depression that have not yet been studied concerning the lives of worship leaders in various stages of such mental health issues. Time demands, financial challenges, and stigma have emerged as common themes through exploration of a small body of existing literature and …

A Phenomenological Study Of Early Resignation Among Southern Territory Salvation Army Officers, Everette F. Platt

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The purpose of this transcendental phenomenological study was to understand early resignation of Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory by investigating their lived experiences with the phenomenon. The theories guiding this study were role identity, as it explains the differences in perceptions and actions that accompany a role and emotional intelligence (EI), which refers to a generic competence in perceiving emotions, both in oneself and in others. The central research question addressed how former Salvation Army officers in the Southern Territory perceive that their officership experiences impacted their decision to resign early. The subquestions for this study addressed (a) …

A Christ-Centered, Attachment Based, Church Program For The Healing Of Father Wounds, Stephen J. Madosky I

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

Father wounds have devastated the hearts of men as to make impotent their effectiveness as fathers, leaders, and ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This dissertation used Christ- centered attachment-based theories to develop a church-driven program that includes discipleship disciplines along with counseling techniques to help develop a more secure relational attachment to God and therefore producing psychospiritual benefits, such as a greater love of self, others, and God. This research evaluated the efficacy of the development of this Christ-centered, attachment-based church program for the Healing of Father wounds. This program development looks to secure the participants’ attachment to …

Eradicating Recidivism: Evangelism For African American Men Impacted By Mass Incarceration, Anthony Mark Berry

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

The Prison Industrial Complex impacts 2.3 million people, affects the poor, and the nation's minority family's ability to retain a sense of unity. These data impact community health with the absence of the father figures, lack of power to gain viable income, and in some cases, the right to vote. The issue decimates African American young men. This topic is needed because the research suggests a cyclic nature of excavation of human capital by incarceration and is depleting communities of capital by jailing wage earners from the Black community. Voting capital is dwindling in some states where felony crimes remove …

Artman's "The Miracle Lady: Kathryn Kuhlman And The Transformation Of Charismatic Christianity" (Book Review), Andrew C. Stout

The Christian Librarian

No abstract provided.

The American Unreformation: The Undoing Of American Evangelical Prominence And The Rise Of The Religiously Unaffiliated Nones, H G. Walker

Doctoral Dissertations and Projects

With over sixty percent of Protestant churches in America experiencing either plateaued or declining numbers, the ineffectiveness or outright inattention to evangelistic efforts is magnified by the aggressive growth of the Nones population; therefore, this dissertation project seeks to answer one central question related to the current increase in the number of Americans identifying as religiously unaffiliated: Are there identifiable religious resurgence mechanisms in American religious history that address the current rise of the Nones and if initiated would facilitate future religious resurgence? Lower levels of religious affiliation reveal a weakening of the heart of the Evangelical position on evangelization …

A Power Man’S Theology: Marvel’S Luke Cage And Black Liberation Theology, Diarron B. Morrison

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Netflix released Marvel’s Luke Cage in 2016 to critical acclaim. Born from a 1970s comic book, the series features Luke Cage, an African-American superhero. Cage is a big, bald, bulletproof black man. Instead of tights and a cape, Cage wears a hoodie calling the audience to remember Trayvon Martin and other victims of white racism. Theologian James Cone created Black Liberation Theology in the 1970s. As a result of Cone’s work, Black Liberation Theology addresses the issue of white racism from a theological standpoint. In this thesis I present a close reading of Marvel’s Luke Cage using Black Liberation Theology …